Parents of teenage vandals should be held responsible for their children's vandalism because, as parents, they retain responsibility towards their children. Due to the consequences of the act of destruction of their children and the lack of morals and values, parents who by law retain total responsibility for their children are obligated to the community to pay all costs incurred. The repercussions of family embarrassment could, in the long run, not only teach children how to obey authority through implemented rules and regulations, but could also cause parents to learn that their parenting skills must align with society's acceptable standards. Faced with hundreds of dollars in court costs, attorney's fees and property damage assessments, all parties involved can learn a lesson. The consequence must fit the violation, so that it becomes a wake-up call to parents who lack the ability to maintain control over their children. Therefore parents of teenage vandals should be held accountable for their children's act of vandalism. In 2000, while living in Germany, three American teenagers were convicted on first-degree murder charges for what began as an act of vandalism. The teenagers committed a horrific act that resulted in a crime that ended in the deaths of two drivers of different cars, both traveling on a roadway, when their cars were hit by bricks thrown from a bridge overpass above. As horrible and devastating as this was for the parents of the teenagers, there is a reason why it should be their responsibility to pay the court costs and damages; a hard life lesson. The teenagers were sentenced to spend time in a German prison, leaving their parents to pay astronomical court costs and legal fees. However, the mo...... middle of paper ......ok Collection (EBSCOhost). EBSCO. Network. 7 October 2011. "Adolescent vandalism: are parents responsible?" About juvenile delinquents: what every parent should know. CRC Health Group, n.d. Web. October 12, 2011. “Three American Teens Convicted of Killing Germans Serve Half Sentence and Return to United States” Stars and Stripes. 15 July 2004: n. page. Press. .Williams, Carol J. "3 American Teens Guilty of Murder in Germany." Los Angeles Times. 23 December 2000: n. page. Press. .Williams, Carol J. "Germany to seek murder charges against 3 American teenagers in rock attacks." Los Angeles Times. 01 March 2000: n. page. Press. .